


It's not just tea and coffee

by romanticmum



Series: Sanditon Tea & Coffee [1]
Category: Sanditon (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Pining, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:20:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28483026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/romanticmum/pseuds/romanticmum
Summary: John Babington visits Sanditon and falls for Esther Denham, the owner of a cafe.  She refuses his offer of a drink, but is there more to her refusal than meets the eye?
Relationships: Lord Babington/Esther Denham
Series: Sanditon Tea & Coffee [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2122422
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11





	It's not just tea and coffee

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a Coffee Shop AU and this is what happened. I set it around Christmas as I've written the story over the Christmas holidays. Also, imagine Sanditon with grey clouds, heavy downpours and a weak wintry sun breaking through the clouds.

The heavens opened as Sidney, Crowe and Babington were stood examining the exterior of the apartment building. Sidney suggested retiring to the café round the corner to wait out the shower. He had persuaded his friends to visit the building with a view to potential investment in the refurbishment that his brother was planning. Neither were particularly keen to invest but came to visit as a favour to their long-known friend.

Inside the café, Crowe requested a coffee, strong and black, before he headed off to the toilet. Sidney moved towards the counter to order whilst Babington perused the menu. There were various coffees and teas to choose from and he decided to ask for the proprietor’s suggestion.

As he approached the counter, all thoughts of which drink to buy were lost when his eyes took in the beautiful redhead talking to Sidney. 

“Esther, this is my friend, Babbers,” he said to her and then turned to him. “What do you want, Babbers?”

John was lost for a moment as Esther turned her gaze to him and he was drawn in by her hazel eyes.

“Um, I don’t know, what do you recommend, Esther?” 

He managed to pull himself back together and gave her a friendly smile.

“Are you a coffee or tea man?” she asked, cocking her head to one side.

“Oh, it depends what I need the drink for.” He kept eye contact with her and continued to smile. “At the moment, I need a tea to warm me up after being caught in the rain.”

Esther’s thoughtful expression turned to a smirk, “Yes, you do look like drowned rats!”

She looked at the menu for a moment, then turned back to him. “I suggest lemon and ginger tea – the ginger is warming, and the lemon will perk you up.”

“Ok, sounds good!” responded John. Sidney took out his wallet and Esther said she would bring the drinks over when ready. John nodded and looked to find a table to sit.

The place was quiet and so he sat at a table away from the door but with a good view of the counter. If he sat with his back to the wall, he would be able to see Esther.

Sidney raised his eyebrows at him as he came over to sit. “What?” asked John, with an innocent air.

“Be careful, Babbers, I don’t think she’s your type,” Sidney warned.

“And what’s my type, Sidney? I’ve had a few girlfriends, all different, and none of them have worked out. Can’t stop trying, can I?” John retorted.

Crowe came to join them then and they restarted their discussion about the apartment building. Esther delivered the drinks after a minute, and John made eye contact, giving her a smile again. She nodded briefly then returned to the counter as some more rain-soaked people entered the café.

The friends went out for drinks in the local pubs that evening, and John hoped to see Esther while they were out, but unfortunately there was no sign of her. Even a trip out into the country the next day with Sidney and his nieces and nephews could not remove the vision of her hazel eyes and red hair from his mind.

Wanting to see her in person again, he persuaded Crowe to go for a drink before they returned to London. There was a different woman serving at the counter and Crowe made a bee line for her to order his drink.

“Not as wet today I see,” commented Esther when she came out of the back to take John’s order. 

“No, the weather was kinder today. We’re heading back to London shortly – I need something to get me ready for the drive, what do you suggest?” asked John.

Esther kept her gaze on him and there was a hint of a smile. “Peppermint tea – it’ll wake you up, so you’re ready to concentrate on the roads.”

John laughed, “Yes, good idea. I need to keep alert.”

He waited while she made the drink and decided to find out more about her. “Do you work here full time?”

Esther was facing partially away from him and remained that way for a moment as though she was thinking how to respond. Turning to him with the drink, she raised an eyebrow, “Yes I do. Why do you want to know?”

“Oh, I was just wondering when you would be here – I appreciate your suggestions about which drinks to try.”

“Well, if you’re heading back to London it doesn’t matter when I’ll be here, does it?”

John smiled at her, appreciating the smart retort, “I will be returning to visit a few times over the coming weeks, I would like to try out some more of your menu.”

As he gazed at her, he tried to imprint her on his memory – the hair braided over her shoulder, the piercing eyes, the freckles across her cheekbones. 

“Well, you’ll just have to take a chance, won’t you?” she smirked.

John grinned back but then was distracted by Crowe calling him. He gave his thanks and walked over to his friend but thought he would have to return to Sanditon soon to see her again.

The following weekend, John returned without Crowe, but met up with Sidney and Tom to further discuss the potential investment. John required changes to the terms before he would consider it as a reasonable proposition. If it wasn’t for Sidney’s involvement, John would never consider the project, but since Sidney was his best friend and there was the inducement of Esther at the café, John was looking favourably at the endeavour.

He and Sidney went out for a few drinks on the Friday evening when they arrived, and John felt a little worse for wear when he turned up at the café on Saturday morning.

Noticing Esther at the counter before he entered, his heart rate increased as he readied himself to speak to her.

“Hi, Esther,” he said as he ambled up to the counter. He thought he saw her face perk up a little when he approached and gave her a smile.

“Well, hello Babbers,” she smirked back at him. Hearing his nickname in her voice sounded odd and he frowned. Esther saw it and her smile faded.

“My name is John, actually - only Crowe and Sidney call me Babbers,” he offered sheepishly. 

Her smile returned – “Ok, John, what do you need your drink for today?”

John flushed a little as he realised she remembered what he said about his drinks last weekend. Trying to remain composed, he glanced at the coffee menu.

“I need coffee this morning – bit of a late one on the beer last night,” he commented ruefully.

Esther gave him an understanding nod. “I’ve got something to help that,” she stated.

Looking at the coffees listed on the menu, she thought for a moment then grabbed a mug. “The Colombian, strong but with a smooth flavour. It will give you a caffeine boost.”

John nodded but noted a bit of a headache brewing. “I’ll have a bottle of water to go with it, please,” he asked.

Esther glanced over her shoulder and gave him a sympathetic look. “I have some paracetamol if you want some,” she offered.

“Yeah, that would be great, thanks.” John wondered if he could keep her in conversation a little longer. There was no-one else in the café except for two women sat in the corner.

“Esther, what time are you working until today?”

She popped two paracetamol into his hand and passed him a bottle of water. “I’m here until 5pm today,” she said but kept her eyes down.

“Well, I may be back for some afternoon tea, then,” offered John and noted her shy glance up at him.

Picking up his drinks, he said, “I’ll go see if this will work some magic on my hangover,” and moved to sit at a table.

John did not know what to make of Esther’s responses. She seemed comfortable to banter with him over what drink to choose but as soon as John started asking more personal questions she closed up and was guarded with him. He decided to return this afternoon and gauge her mood then. Thoughts of asking her out plagued him all week, even though he only met her last weekend. For some reason he could not pinpoint, she had him captivated.

After spending most of the day discussing terms of the investment with Sidney and Tom, John was ready to take some time on his own to review the proposed project. He returned to the café at 4.30pm, just before he knew Esther was leaving. 

The corner of her mouth turned up as he approached the counter.

“I thought you weren’t going to return,” she said sternly.

“My meeting took longer than expected,” he offered apologetically, “I need something to help me relax after that.”

His eyes caught hers and she held his gaze. Nodding, she grabbed a tea bag out of a box near to the till. “You need chamomile tea, very good for relaxation.”

Offering his thanks, he paid for the tea and went to sit down to review his notes. He struggled to concentrate at first, knowing Esther was close by, but he soon got engrossed in repayment terms and then Esther was stood next to his table. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m closing up now,” she gave him a rueful smile.

“Oh, yes, of course.” John started packing away his notes. He wondered whether he should ask her out now – the café was empty apart from them.

“Um, Esther, do you have any plans this evening?”

She was busy wiping tables and her hand stopped mid-swipe. “Are you asking me out?” she questioned but didn’t look up from the table.

John was a little taken aback at her directness but recovered quickly. “Um, yes. I just wondered if you wanted to meet for a drink?” He realised that sounded odd when he was stood in a café, “I mean, an alcoholic drink, in a bar?”

Shutting his mouth so he could stop himself from rambling, he hoped she would look up at him, but she remained gazing at the table. Her body language did not look promising - maybe he misread the banter between them.

Taking a deep breath, she finally looked up and caught his gaze. “I’m flattered, John, but I’m not interested.”

“Um, ok, then,” he responded and glanced down as he let her answer sink in. The disappointment from her rejection settled heavily in his stomach and his brow furrowed. 

“I’ll just gather my stuff and leave you to close up.” He pushed his notepad in his bag and took one last swig of his tea.

“Bye, Esther,” he said as he quickly turned for the door. She called out bye as he exited but he kept on walking, the rejection hurting him more than he expected.

Sidney invited him for dinner that evening, and they talked about work and the investment during the meal. John tried to hide his subdued demeanour, but Sidney knew him too well and questioned him over a drink after they had eaten.

“I said be careful. Esther keeps herself to herself, I don’t know much about her personal life. Perhaps she’s already dating or maybe you aren’t her type,” remarked Sidney.

“Yes, maybe. But she just seemed so interesting to talk to,” lamented John.

“What have you talked about? Different types of tea and coffee, I’d hardly say that was interesting conversation.”

John could not explain how he felt to Sidney – he just knew that he would not forget about Esther that easily.

Against his better judgment, he returned to the café on Sunday morning to buy a coffee. The weather was dry with a weak sun vainly trying to fight through the clouds. He thought a brisk walk up and down the promenade may blow away his romantic feelings.

Esther was not in the café but the blonde woman he had seen once before served him the Colombian coffee to take away. As he was waiting for the drink, he noticed a car pull up outside the café. The red hair of Esther was unmistakable in the passenger seat and before he could look away, he saw her kiss the man driving. It wasn’t just a quick kiss either - John turned his back when he realised he was staring. Now he knew why Esther was not interested in him. 

Paying for his coffee, he hoped to leave the café before she entered but he was a few seconds too slow.

The happy smile and adoring eyes of a woman kissed by her lover were clear in Esther’s face, before she noticed John and her expression turned a little abashed.

“Morning, John,” she said as she dipped her chin in acknowledgement.

“Morning, Esther,” John returned, holding up his coffee before heading to the promenade.

That was it then. She was already in a relationship and that is why she refused him. The disappointment lay heavy in his chest as John trekked up and down the promenade. Not even the sun glinting off the waves and the seagulls flying above could distract him.

John returned to London later that day, determined to forget Esther. He verbally agreed to go ahead with Tom’s investment and left him to instruct solicitors to draw up the agreement. With that decided, there was no need to return to Sanditon and he spent the next two weekends in London, out with his friends at bars and clubs.

Crowe persuaded a few women to chat with him, while they were out, and he was polite, involving himself in their conversations. But none of them intrigued him like Esther did, and he returned alone to his apartment every night.

When the agreement for the refurbishment was ready, John returned to Sanditon to sign and set up the financial arrangements. Tom and Sidney took him out for dinner that evening to celebrate and then he and Sidney went to a bar for a drink. 

Sidney could tell he was still disappointed following Esther’s rejection. 

“Come on, man, you hardly know her. How can you be this hung up on her?”

John shook his head, this last week he yo-yoed between trying to forget about her so he could move on, to reminiscing over the few short conversations they had together. He was at a loss why she still affected him so much.

Taking another gulp of his beer, he heard raised voices in what sounded like an argument from the other side of the bar. Some of the other customers moved to see what was going on, and he and Sidney stood – they could just make out what was being said.

“So, this is where you are then? You lying cheat! And you! Don’t bother coming into work tomorrow – you’re fired!”

John looked at Sidney and their brows raised – they recognised that voice. They moved to get a better view and John caught a glimpse of Esther’s red hair before there was a splash from a drink being thrown and the clunk of the glass hitting the floor.

There were a few cheers and claps from drinkers nearer to the action and John spotted Esther exiting the main door. He made to follow but Sidney grabbed his arm.

“Leave it, John. It’s none of your business.”

John knew Sidney was right, but all he wanted at that moment was to go after Esther, see that she was ok. But he hardly knew her, it was not his place.

The friends returned to their table and drinks and John tried to keep up with Sidney’s conversation, but his mind could not let go of the scene they witnessed.

Early the next morning, John stood down the road from the café in two minds what to do. For a while before he went to sleep last night, he replayed what went on at the bar and wondered if he should approach Esther, and what he could say if he did.

After ten minutes, when no-one had entered the café, he decided to go ahead. The lights were on so he knew it was open and at the very least he could do with a coffee this morning. Knowing what to say was tricky and Esther may just tell him to get lost – but at least he would have tried.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed at the door and looked around. The café was empty and there was no-one at the counter – he approached and called “Hello”.

The clattering sound of something falling made John wonder if he startled Esther. He stood back a little from the till, waiting for her to appear.

A few seconds later, Esther emerged from the back, her chin tilted downwards. John could tell straight away she had been crying – her face looked a little puffy and blotchy.

“Hello, Esther,” he said quietly, unsure of her reaction. She stared back at him, nonplussed for a moment, but then she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. 

“Hello, John, what do you need today?” she asked.

“Esther, before I order, I just wanted to say I was in the bar last night and heard what went on. I’m sorry about what’s happened…”

“You know nothing!” Esther exclaimed and turned away from him.

John spoke quietly, “No, you’re right, I know nothing of what’s happened….But I do believe that what you did was the right thing. You deserve better, Esther.”

She turned around quickly and glared at him. “By better, do you mean you?” she said haughtily.

John raised his hands and took a step back, shaking his head. “No, no. I came here with no expectations, just in the spirit of friendship. You will not become his victim, Esther.”

Her face softened and her chin trembled. John could see the vulnerability and hurt in her eyes but there was a glimmer of hope there, too.

A couple of breaths later and Esther seemed more composed. She pulled her shoulders back and asked him what drink he wanted.

John let out the breath he didn’t realise he was holding and requested a coffee. “Will it be ok if I stay here to drink it? I have some work to do on my phone.”

Esther nodded, “Yes, that’s ok.”

John stayed for an hour, answering emails on his phone and making some notes. He glanced across to Esther now and again to see how she was faring. The café was quiet fortunately, and when required, Esther put on a brave face and served her few customers with grace.

Before he left to meet up with Tom and Sidney, John managed to catch her attention. “I need to go meet my friends now, but I’ll come back later for an afternoon tea, if you’re still open?”

He quickly added on that last bit, as he did wonder whether she would close early given her stressful night.

A frown appeared between her brows. “You don’t have to check on me you know,” she berated him.

“I’m not!” said John, pretending to be affronted. “Like I said, I’ll come back for some tea, that’s all.” He gave her a friendly smile and was relieved to see Esther relax a little.

John spent the day in tough discussions with Tom and Sidney over the plans for the refurbishment and when he realised how late it was, had to make some excuses before dashing over to the café, hoping Esther had not yet closed up.

It was just before 5pm as he entered, and he heard her call out “We’re closed!” from the back room.

“Esther, it’s John. Am I too late to get a tea to take with me?” he called back.

Esther appeared at the doorway with a tired look and her hands on her hips. “Yes, you are. I’ve already closed the till.”

John’s face fell seeing her frown and he wondered whether he should just leave.

Esther cocked her head to the side and bit her lip. “But seeing as it’s you, I’ll let you have one for free.”

That was a surprise and John thanked her graciously. “What tea have you got for me today?”

“Berry and rosehip,” she replied then smirked when she saw the frown on John’s face. He was not keen on fruity teas, but beggars could not be choosers, so he stayed silent.

There was some noise on the window as the drizzle outside turned into a downpour and John noted a grimace appear on Esther’s face.

Spying an opportunity to spend more time with her, John offered her a lift home.

“It’s ok, I’ll wait it out, I’ve still got some cleaning to do.”

“Really, Esther, I don’t mind. I can repay you for the tea,” negotiated John.

There was a pause as Esther seemed to reconsider the offer.

“Ok, a lift home, thank you.”

John offered to help her clean up and between them they were ready to go after ten minutes.

Esther waited a moment then turned back to the counter. She scribbled something on a piece of paper and stuck it up on the door.

“What’s that?” asked John.

“A closed sign, I’m going to have a day off.”

They dashed through the rain to John’s car across the road. Esther’s brows rose into her hairline as she took in the expensive model and luxurious interior.

“John, I hope you’re not driving me in a stolen car?” she questioned.

He could see the humour in her eyes and smiled back. “All paid for legally, Esther.”

Turning on the ignition, he pressed a few buttons to demist the windows. “Do you drive, Esther?”

She bit her lip, “I can drive, but I don’t have a car. I only live two miles away, so I walk to work – it’s lovely in the summer but not so much in the winter.”

John switched on the wipers and the heater then pulled into the road. “You’ll have to give me directions as we go.”

Taking his time speed-wise and thanking fate for making him stop at every traffic light, John managed to glean a little information from Esther as they drove. She lived in Sanditon since her teens and worked part-time in the café whilst studying at college. The owner offered her a staged buy-out when she was retiring. Esther had one year left to pay off then the café was fully hers.

John asked if it was busy in the summer being near the seafront. Esther laughed, her takings were way better in the summer – she had to employ extra staff and sold ice-creams as well as iced tea and coffee. 

All too soon, they were parked up outside Esther’s cottage. John tried not to hope for an invitation, but his hopeful eyes strayed to hers anyway. She thanked him for the lift and moved to open the door.

John made a split-second decision. “Do you want to come for a drive tomorrow? We could go up into the hills, see the sea from a different perspective?”

Gazing out of the windscreen, Esther paused as she contemplated his offer. Without turning to him, she murmured, “Ok then, pick me up at 11.”

Then she was out of the car and dashing to her porch before giving him a small glance over her shoulder as she entered her house. John sat for a few moments in the car, amazed at this turn of events. He needed to pick Sidney’s brains for a route tomorrow, perhaps persuade Esther to have lunch while they were out.

After an evening with Sidney studying the map on his phone and planning a route, John was outside Esther’s door at exactly 11 o’clock the next day. He climbed out of the car to knock for her, but she was already locking up her front door. John’s heart swelled thinking she must have been ready and waiting for him.

“Good morning, Esther,” he said as he opened the car door for her. She responded with a shy smile and a quiet “Morning.”

John climbed in and explained his plan for the drive. “Sidney helped me plan a route that includes two viewpoints up in the hills. The weather is clearing up so we might get to see some good views.”

Esther glanced across to him and nodded, then turned back to face the windscreen. John noticed her eyes looked a little puffy and wondered whether she was crying again last night.

Reminding himself that he was here as a friend only, he started up the car and set off. He followed the main road out of the town then took a road that twisted and turned up into the hills. Around each bend there was a quick glimpse of the sea or the hills further up the coast. When they finally reached the top, he pulled into a little parking area that overlooked the sea. 

Out of the windscreen they could see the beach and sea stretched out in front of the town. To either side the hills extended down the coastline. They could make out a few walkers trekking up the beach.

“Wow,” remarked John, “I’ve not been up here before but it’s a really good view of the beach and the town.”

He noticed Esther remained looking out of the windscreen, so he spent a minute just taking in the vista. Eventually, his thoughts wandered to what he thought were safe topics of conversation.

“Esther, do you travel outside of Sanditon much?”

He looked across to her, but she remained looking out of the window. “I visit my aunt now and again - she lives two miles outside of Sanditon so if the weather’s nice I’ll walk. Otherwise, I take a taxi or ….”

She broke off as her lip trembled a little. John suspected she was going to say something to do with her now ex-boyfriend so jumped in with his own comment.

“I live in London now, but my family live in Hampshire. I don’t visit as often as my mother thinks I should.”

There was silence for another minute and John wondered what he could talk about.

Fortunately, he was beaten to a topic when Esther started to speak.

“Before running the café, I used to walk up into these hills quite a lot. I’d find a good spot overlooking the beach or the hills and bring a sketchpad, do some drawing.”

John smiled at her, “Oh, you’re an artist! Do you just draw landscapes or other things, too?”

Esther divulged a little more information about her drawing as John coaxed her. He mentioned enjoying visiting the art galleries in London and asked Esther if she ever visited there.

A wistful expression blanketed her face as she recalled some trips when she was younger, but she did not have the time more recently for a visit. John suggested she travel up to London some time and they could visit a gallery or two together. Esther did not respond, and John realised he was maybe too forward and decided to change the subject.

“Shall we drive further up into the hills? Sidney suggested a place where there are good views inland.”

Esther briefly nodded towards him then resumed her gaze out of the window. John fiddled with the satnav on his phone then set off to find the second viewpoint.

He spent the driving time reflecting on how best to talk with Esther while they were out together. This trip was a sudden idea of his yesterday, so he could spend more time with her. But he realised that perhaps Esther saw it as an opportunity to distract her from the upsetting event on Friday evening. 

Determined to rein in his romantic feelings and wanting Esther to have a pleasant trip, he concentrated on driving to their next destination.

The next stop was further inland and higher up in the hills, but the views stretched for miles around. There was a break in the clouds and the weak winter sun warmed the colour of the fields.

“I’m glad the weather has cleared up – we may not have been able to see so far otherwise,” John commented.

“Yes, on a clear day the views are magnificent. I believe you can see three different counties from here,” Esther responded.

John mentioned he would like to return on a clear summer’s day to get the best views. He observed that Hampshire had some beautiful hilly countryside, too, and he did miss it sometimes when he was in London.

Esther looked across at him then, “So what do you do in London? It must be well-paid based on your car.” A small smirk accompanied her comment.

John explained a little about his portfolio of properties and investments, mentioning the apartments in Sanditon that he was financing Tom to refurbish. Esther commented she hoped they would be affordable for young people working in Sanditon – her aunt helped her to buy the cottage she was currently living in because many property prices were too high for young people just starting on the property ladder.

This perspective interested John and he asked Esther if she wanted to go for lunch, they could talk about it some more. Her nod of agreement pleased him, and he consulted his satnav to plan a route to the pub Sidney suggested.

Whilst driving, John thought about topics that he could talk about with Esther. He wanted to get to know her better but was conscious of not bringing up her ex-boyfriend. Talking too much about himself was also a no-no.

Fortunately, it was relatively early for the lunch crowd, so the pub was quiet, and they picked a table in a corner. Both chose the Sunday roast, it was beef today, and sat down with their soft drinks. John asked Esther to tell him more about the Sanditon property market and they had an interesting discussion until the food arrived.

John noted that Esther became much more animated during their discussion, indicating she felt strongly about the points she was making. As he was investing in those apartments, he decided to investigate further about the property prices in Sanditon so they could be suitably priced for the locals. 

There were only a few weeks to go until Christmas, and John asked Esther what she was doing over the holiday period.

She looked at her plate for a moment before glancing up at John. “I don’t have any plans as such, I’ll probably go visit my aunt for a few days.” Averting her gaze again, she poked her food around her plate before taking a small mouthful.

John realised her plans may have changed with the boyfriend out of the picture and mentally kicked himself for making her remember again. Changing tack slightly, he asked if she opened the café over the holidays.

She stared at him for a moment, “Why? Are you planning another visit?” 

His jaw dropped in surprise, did she want him to come and visit? He pondered a moment about what to say – if he was too keen, he may scare her off.

“I just wondered whether you shut the café and took some days off for yourself. I know I’m generally busy in the run-up to Christmas, but I don’t work between Christmas and New Year to give myself a break.”

Esther looked thoughtful, “I did open last year, but it was very quiet. Maybe I should take some time for myself and close for the week.”

Giving her a nod, John resisted the urge to ask if he could come to visit her. She said about taking time for herself and that meant no other people. He realised he may not be able to see her for a few weeks because he was busy with work and family engagements right up until Christmas. They were nearly finished with their meals, so John decided to ask something he thought about through most of their drive today.

“Esther, I won’t be able to visit Sanditon for a while, but I would like us to keep in touch, as friends. We could swap phone numbers. How do you feel about that?”

She kept her gaze on her plate while he was speaking and took a moment before glancing up to him. Her eyes were wide, but John gave her a smile and her lips curled upwards a little.

“Um, yes, ok, but I’d prefer we kept contact to messages, no voice calls.”

John was a little disappointed with her request, but they still did not know each other well so may be this was a way to ease into a friendship together.

Nodding his agreement, John pulled out his phone so they could swap and key in their numbers.

The drive back to Sanditon was quiet, John put on the radio in the background and left Esther to her thoughts whilst he contemplated their time together. At times she spoke animatedly, especially about Sanditon, but she was much quieter when it came to personal topics. John reminded himself they were barely more than acquaintances and there was still a way to go to build up trust and a friendship between them.

Back at her cottage, John parked up and turned to her slightly.

“Esther, I’ve enjoyed spending time with you today.” She glanced over to him and he gave her a smile. 

“Our discussion about the pricing of Sanditon properties was interesting and I will look into it further. I may have to pick your brains a bit more!”

He grinned at her and she finally responded with a small smile.

“Thanks for the drive today, John. You’ve been surprisingly good company.” Her comment was accompanied by a smirk as she looked at him.

John chuckled at her comment, “You’re the first person I’ve met who can make a compliment also sound like an insult!”

They smiled at each other for a few moments until Esther turned away, opened the car door and climbed out.

“Bye, John,” she called before shutting the door and walking up her path. John returned her wave as she entered the house then took a deep breath before setting off. Today went well and he needed to review this weekend’s events at length on the drive back to London.

Over the next few weeks, John was very busy with work and weekend engagements, both social and work-related. He took time over breakfast and before he went to bed to think of messages he could send to Esther. Not wanting to overwhelm her, he only messaged every few days, and kept to topics such as current events, the weather and funny memes.

After the third week, he had still not received a response from her and was wondering whether she was even reading his messages. Feeling disheartened, he spent a rare evening relaxing at home, thinking of all their interactions together and doubting whether there was any connection between them - maybe it was all in his imagination. 

But he recalled two moments, in the café the morning after her break-up, and in the pub on their drive, where John was sure there was a meaningful connection with her and he decided to at least continue with his messages until he could next see her, whether she responded or not. 

He spotted a funny meme on social media to send to her and then distracted himself by watching a film on the TV. He was delighted to find a laughing face emoji response when he checked his phone at bedtime and went to sleep with a smile on his face.

Christmas was fast approaching, and John wanted to do something for Esther that showed he was thinking of her, but that would not be considered over the top for two acquaintances (he did not feel they were fully friends yet.)

After a lot of thinking and internet searching, he plumped for a small Christmas hamper from a delicatessen located near his office. He paid for delivery to her café and enclosed a handwritten card, keeping the message brief.

A few days before Christmas, he received a short message of thanks from Esther, and his heart swelled that she received the gift and felt comfortable messaging him back.

Engagements with friends and family kept him occupied over the holiday period, but Esther was quickly in his thoughts if he had five minutes to himself. Was she staying with her aunt? Did she see other family and friends? Was she still upset over her break-up with her boyfriend?

He felt uncomfortable asking her these direct questions through his messages, so stuck with brief mentions of what he was doing in the hopes she may respond. The day after Boxing Day, he did receive a message from her out of the blue, noting she was back at home after visiting her aunt and was taking time for herself.

John was able to respond with a similar message the next day and there was a short back and forth discussion about TV programmes and films they were going to watch. A warm glow filled his chest as he realised they had similar likes in films and he set aside that common interest to remember for the future.

A big family and friends New Year’s Eve party was planned by his parents, and John readied himself to go although he would have preferred to stay at home. He sent a message to Esther before he left – wishing her well in the new year and hoping it may not be too long before he could see her again.

There was no immediate response and John wondered whether he overstepped. It was four weeks since he last saw Esther, and the messages he received from her these last few days, albeit brief, had ignited his yearning to see her again. He tried to temper his impatience as he knew work commitments would mean the earliest opportunity to visit Sanditon was weeks away, but he was looking forward to it.

They swapped messages in early January, grumbling about having to go back to work, and then Esther notified John of some good news – she appointed a new assistant in the café. John was relieved she filled the vacancy – running the café on her own was unsustainable.

John’s first free weekend in his calendar was mid-January, and he counted down the days to when he could visit Esther in Sanditon. Esther never asked when he was returning to visit and so John decided to just turn up and see her reaction. Maybe it would be a good indicator of whether she wanted to be friends with him or she was really not interested in him. 

Although they shared a few messages since Christmas, John still felt he was the main instigator. He hoped Esther would be happy to see him, but also realised that perhaps this visit would show a more romantic relationship was just never going to happen, and he would have to rid his heart of such feelings.

John arranged to dine with Sidney and Tom the Friday evening he arrived in Sanditon, and they decided to discuss business further on Saturday. He planned to visit the café first thing on the Saturday for some breakfast and see Esther’s reaction at his return.

Parking the car down the road from the café, John took a few moments to calm his racing heart and fluttering stomach. Much of his spare time since he last visited was taken up thinking about her or preparing messages to send to her. What if he saw her now and she gave him the brush off? What if she got back together with her ex?

John shook his head – he needed to stop these thoughts and just go and see her – then he would know what to think.

There were already a couple of people queuing in the café and John took his place in line to wait. A young brunette with a big smile was serving at the counter – she must be Esther’s new assistant, he thought. There was no sign of Esther – his heart sank thinking she was not even here.

But then he heard her voice as she exited the back room and started serving. John’s gaze was drawn towards her – her hair was piled up in a bun leaving her neck bare. Thoughts of kissing around there entered his head without invitation and John struggled to shoo them away.

All too quickly, John was at the counter and he saw the expression of surprise on Esther’s face as she recognised him.

“John!”

“Hello, Esther,” John smiled. Her mouth remained open in shock for a few moments before she averted her gaze and composed herself. Glancing back up at him, he noted a small smile on her face – maybe she was pleased to see him.

“How are you, Esther?” asked John. Although they were barely friends, he wanted her to know he was interested in her.

She dipped her chin, “I’m well, John. How are you?”

John threw caution to the wind – seeing Esther again had cheered him up no end. 

“Happier now I’m in my favourite café!” he grinned.

Esther seemed to remember herself and called to her assistant, “Charlotte, come here, let me introduce you.”

Charlotte walked over and Esther introduced her to John. Apparently Charlotte knew Mary, Tom Parker’s wife, and therefore had met Sidney Parker, although John noticed a little frown appear on her face when Sidney’s name was mentioned.

“So, John, what drink do you need today?” asked Esther with a smirk.

John was distracted, gazing at her face, so there was a pause before her question registered with him.

She cocked her head to one side, waiting for his answer, so he said the first thing that came to mind.

“Tea, please. English breakfast. Oh, and a bacon toastie.”

Charlotte must have noted the looks between the two of them and offered to make up the order and bring it over if they wanted to take a minute to catch up.

Esther flushed a little then, but John grasped the opportunity.

“Yes, Esther, come sit with me and give me an update on what’s going on in Sanditon.”

John kept his comment quite general so Esther would not feel too much on the spot personally.

They sat at a table as far as possible from the other customers and John spoke up first.

“Charlotte seems like a hard-working, friendly person. How’s it going?”

Esther smiled and looked across at her assistant, “She’s settled in really well. She’s working part-time, fitting work around this online training course she’s doing. I’m pleased with her customer-facing skills and she’s keen to learn.”

John nodded and smiled – when Esther was enthused about something, he was fascinated by her.

“That’s great, Esther – I’m happy it’s working out.”

He took a breath and said what was on his mind since he first saw her this morning.

“I’m happy to see you again, too. I enjoyed receiving your messages over the holidays, but it’s not the same as actually speaking to you in person.”

Esther flushed again and stared out of the window. John thought maybe he was a little too enthusiastic and changed the subject.

“I’m meeting with Tom and Sidney about the refurbishment later. I have a proposal for them about the pricing of the properties – I investigated further after our discussion.”

She looked back at him with an impressed expression, “I’m glad you’ve taken on board that viewpoint.”

“It was explained to me very eloquently,” he acknowledged and gazed into her eyes.

At that moment, Charlotte appeared with John’s order, and Esther stood up to go. John did not want her to leave so soon and caught her attention.

“Esther, I was wondering whether we could meet up this weekend, perhaps go for a drink or a meal together?”

He looked at her hopefully, her response now would determine whether she was interested in him or not.

She turned away from him and John imagined the cogs of her brain rotating as she contemplated his request.

There was a little frown between her brows when she looked back at him and she spoke quietly. “Let me think about my plans this weekend and I’ll let you know. Come back before I close this afternoon.”

She gave him a small nod and then dashed off to the counter.

John did not know what to make of her response. On the plus side, she did not reject him outright. But it seemed like she needed time to think about his offer. Trying to ignore the disappointment at not receiving an immediate positive answer, he concentrated on eating his breakfast then prepared for his meeting with Tom and Sidney. 

Time passed quickly that day as there was plenty to discuss with Tom and reining him in with his bold ideas was a full-time job for John and Sidney. By four o’clock the meeting was coming to a natural end and John told Sidney he would let him know about his plans for this evening once he had spoken to Esther.

Shaking his head, Sidney gave John a wry smile. “You’re still pursuing her after all this time? Don’t you think it’s futile?”

John just smiled, “I like her, Sidney. She’s been through a break-up so it’s going to take time for me to get to know her. I’m going to see her now and hope she’s willing to have a drink with me at least. If the answer’s no, then I will move on.”

He hoped the answer was not in the negative, but maybe Sidney was right. They first met over two months ago and had not interacted much more than texting and giving tea orders. Perhaps John was wishing for more than there was ever going to be.

John drove back to the café with his chest tight from apprehension. As he parked up across the road, he could see Esther talking to a man outside the café. Darkness was falling so it was difficult to make out their faces, but the man looked like the one he saw her kissing that time in the car.

Esther’s body language suggested she was unhappy – her arms hung tense at her sides with clenched fists. The man moved towards her, but she stepped back and shook her head.

It felt wrong to watch what was going on, but John wanted to make sure that Esther was ok. After another minute, with their conversation seemingly getting more heated, the man threw up his arms and then stormed off from Esther. She wrapped her arms around herself and hung her head.

John saw his opportunity and climbed out of the car. He called to Esther as he crossed the road – she seemed startled at hearing her name so must have been deep in thought.

“Hi Esther, are you ok? Shall we go inside to get warm?”

She nodded but then looked away from him, wiping some tears from her cheeks. John opened the door and Esther entered first.

“Thanks, John,” she said before quickly disappearing into the back.

Charlotte made him a chamomile tea and he sat at a table contemplating what was going on between Esther and the man and wondering how it would affect his burgeoning relationship with Esther.

Ten minutes later, there was still no sign of her, and all the other customers had left the café. Charlotte locked the door and turned the sign to closed, then was busy cleaning up. He asked her if Esther was still in the back. 

“Yes, she seems quite upset. Will you go and see her?” she suggested.

Charlotte obviously thought they were good friends, and John was worried about her, so he was thinking of going back there anyway.

He knocked on the door before entering and spied her at the far end of the room, sat on a stool.

“Esther, it’s John. How are you doing?”

She stood up and turned away from him, wiping her face with a tissue. “I’m fine,” she said unconvincingly.

John decided to come clean. “When I arrived earlier, I saw you talking to someone – have they upset you?”

Her shoulders curled in and her chest shook with a sob. John approached her but kept a small distance away.

“Esther, I’m going to help Charlotte clean up, and then I will take you home. OK?”

She nodded but kept her back to him and John went to see what was left to do so that they could leave here as soon as possible.

Charlotte declined John’s offer of a lift as she was meeting a friend nearby. Esther locked up the café and seemed much more composed when she and John walked to his car, but did not make eye contact with him. John put on the radio to play background music on the drive back to Esther’s cottage.

As he parked up, Esther thanked him for the lift, but John was not ready to leave her like this.

“Esther, I want to be your friend, if nothing else. Let me be company for you this evening. I am a good listener - if you want to talk about what’s happened.” His eyes caught hers and the vulnerability he saw made him want to wrap her up in his arms and never let go.

“Please, Esther, let me help you,” he pleaded.

There was a long pause and John hoped with all his heart that Esther would let him support her. It hurt him to see her this upset, and he was willing to do anything to help her feel better.

A small nod from Esther signalled her agreement, and he quickly climbed out of the car to open her door. They entered the cottage, then he followed her through to her kitchen and they took off their coats. 

“John, would you like a drink?” Esther picked up the kettle to fill it.

Taking it out of her hands, John pointed upstairs. “I’ll make us some tea while you go and get changed, then we’ll talk, ok?”

He found some teabags in her cupboard and made them some more chamomile – he was actually developing a liking for herbal teas since visiting her café and was drinking a lot less coffee. There were takeaway menus stuck to the side of the fridge, so he perused them while waiting for her to come down. John also sent a quick text to Sidney to let him know he would be busy for the early part of the evening at least.

Esther eventually appeared in her pyjamas and an oversize bathrobe. She gave John a sheepish smile, “I know it’s still relatively early but dark winter nights require pyjamas!”

John laughed, “Perfectly reasonable! Come sit, I’ve made us some chamomile tea. Seems I’ve developed a taste for it.”

They sipped at their drinks for a few moments and John waited patiently for Esther to say something. He didn’t want to press her for information, but he hoped that Esther trusted him enough to share with him what had upset her.

Eventually, Esther lifted her chin and looked John in the eye. She took a deep breath and spoke, “Ok, John, I will explain what happened.”

Her story started with meeting Ed when he visited the café over a year ago. He was handsome and charming, and she fell for him quickly - they started a relationship just a few weeks after meeting each other. Various short separations occurred when Esther heard of his womanising and cheating. Seeing him in the pub with Clara, the woman who was working in her café, was the last straw and she decided that was the end for their relationship.

Esther was upset after that scene in the pub, but seeing John the next day and hearing his supportive words helped her realise she had done the right thing to split from Ed. She agreed to the drive with John as she thought the trip would distract her from that argument but she did enjoy John’s company that day.

Although she knew the split was the correct decision, she loved Ed and struggled with the heartbreak. Ed turned up at the café this evening wanting them to get back together – he was full of apologies for his actions, saying they would never happen again. Seeing him opened up all the old wounds from all those other times when he said the exact same words but then cheated on her again anyway. Standing her ground with him was hard but she was determined to be rid of him.

“And then you turned up, John. I was so glad to see you, but I also realised what I needed to say. I like you, John, you have been so patient and supportive with me, but I’m not worth it. Find someone more deserving of your attention.”

Esther wiped the tears off her cheeks and stared at the table. John felt angry with Ed for treating her so despicably, but also indignation that his treatment made Esther feel so unworthy. How could he make her believe that she was more than worthy of anyone’s attention?

Gently stroking her hand with his finger to catch her attention, he started speaking when she looked up.

“Esther, you are extraordinary, quite extraordinary. Ever since I first met you in your café, I knew that I wanted to get to know you better.”

She stared at him wide-eyed and he paused, trying to find the words that would show her how much he cared.

“I understand that you need some time to recover from your break-up, but I will not allow you to become his victim. I care for you, and if you like me and trust me, then allow us to develop our relationship. I am a patient man, and we can go as slow as you need to. Are you willing to give us that chance?”

John squeezed her hand and gave her a smile. She said she liked him, and there was some trust as he was currently sat in her kitchen. He willed her to take this leap of faith.

Esther blinked a few times as she looked at him and tears rolled down her cheeks. John passed her another tissue from the box on the table.

“Ok then, John,” she gulped and wiped her eyes. “I will give us that chance.” She gave him a smile with trembling lips, and John smiled back, a warm glow spreading through him.

A moment later, John’s stomach grumbled and they both laughed. “Do you want to share a takeaway? I noticed the menus on your fridge,” suggested John.

Esther nodded and after a quick discussion, John ordered the food on his phone. Standing up from the table, Esther stretched out her hand to John. Gently grasping it, John stood too, and Esther led him to her living room. “We’ll watch TV while we wait for the food,” she stated. 

Happiness filled John’s chest to see Esther taking control and he sat next to her on the sofa, their hands clasped together. At long last, she gave him the opportunity to be a part of her life and he was willing to prove to Esther she was worth every second of his attention.


End file.
